A Fijian's Personal Story

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Jay, our Fijian guide on Barefoot Island, was very knowledgeable, personable, and passionate about sharing his background and culture with us. He gave us a tour of the island and talked extensively about the food and plants used by the native people. Jay was born on a remote island very far south of Viti Levu (main island of Fiji) actually closer to Tonga. He described how his people lived and the fact that no one had “jobs” as we know them since there was no money exchanged. Everyone worked off the land and the sea. He explained that the villagers were content and always happy and that everyone slept through the night without worry. However, the only two reasons the people wanted to leave their island were for a better education for their children and to seek more advanced medical services. If someone were to become sick, the nearest doctor was approximately 20 miles away by foot. No cars, not even paved roads. The villagers would walk through thick brush and over hills to a medicine doctor and only receive very basic services for their ailment or disease. Many of the plants are still used today for their medical needs. No hospitals or surgery was accessible on the island. If they became very sick, they died on the island. The only way to get off the island was to know someone from the mainland who owned a boat. Those who had family or friends with a boat were considered very lucky!!

The primary way the villagers could earn money was to dry coconut and sell it since coconut trees were plentiful. A boat from the mainland would arrive once a year to pick up their dried coconut. This was very labor intensive and difficult work – they would receive only $30 per ton of dried coconut! With the money, some villagers might purchase perhaps 10-20 bricks a year for building a more permanent home. It could take 5 or more years for a family to accumulate enough bricks for the foundation of their small home. What a simple life but perhaps a very stress free one! Jay is now living on the main island and making money for his family, but he sleeps less and worries more. He is not certain if this is a better way!